


'Til We Say We're Sorry

by imthehotgirl



Series: Can You Love Me Most? [6]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Can You Love Me Most verse, Dumbass Fluff, Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Past Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 10:49:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15169076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imthehotgirl/pseuds/imthehotgirl
Summary: Theo surprises Liam, but Liam isn't up for it and things escalate from there. Before long Theo finds himself in Derek's loft relaying the story to Derek, Stiles and Scott. Can the three of them help him figure things out or should he just forget the 'group therapy' find Liam and figure things out with his husband?





	'Til We Say We're Sorry

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LI0NH34RT](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LI0NH34RT/gifts).



> No disrespect is meant. I don't own these characters. This fic is another installment in my 'Can You Love Me Most'? ('Dumbass' for short) verse. It takes place a couple months out from 'Not So Typical Love Song', so it's best to read that one first if you haven't already. The Barenaked Ladies' song: 'One Week' and Semisonic song: 'Closing Time' have been heavy influences in terms of this fic, so if you haven't already, check 'em out. They're fantastic. :o) And yes, this fic is very much meant to be funny and lighthearted with a bit of angst/drama. If that's not your thing walk away now. Thank you! For those of you sticking around, enjoy!

“You’re an idiot,” Derek told Theo with an exasperated yet fond smile as he handed the chimera a mug of hot tea.

“Really? To hear Liam tell it he’s a dumbass,” Stiles said with a smirk, jerking his thumb in Theo’s direction.

Theo glared into his mug, subconsciously moving closer to Scott where they sat on Derek’s couch, doing his best to ignore the urge to growl at Stiles who sat on his other side while Derek stood behind the island in his small kitchen preparing other drinks.

“So who’s Burke again?” Scott asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Better question-did this Burke guy improve your face or was that Liam?” Stiles interjected, ignoring Theo when the chimera flipped him off, his eyes dancing in amusement as he and the two werewolves took in Theo’s disheveled appearance, broken nose, scratches and bruises on his face that’d begun to fade as he started healing.

“It was partly Spier’s doing, but mostly Liam,” Theo muttered in response to Stiles’ question, running a hand through his hair before finally taking a healthy swallow of the tea Derek had made him.

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” Derek suggested, handing Scott the Coke he’d asked for, giving Stiles a glass and settling down into a chair as he drank from his own mug of tea.

Stiles frowned into his glass after taking a sip from it. “Hey, Derek? This is just water.”

Derek grinned into his mug before smoothing his features and giving Stiles a pointed look. “I like Scott better than you,” he replied with a shrug, winking at Scott, grinning again.

“But-but, Der-Bear! I thought you loved me?!” Stiles spluttered indignantly.

Derek scowled in Stiles’ direction. “You promised not to call me that in public.”

“Public? We’re in your loft, Derek. Besides, Scott already knows. It’s one of the perks of being married to me. My husband knows all my secrets. Or uh, well, your secrets in this case,” Stiles replied, flashing Derek an apologetic smile. 

“Does he also know that the two months you and I were together were the longest of my life?” Derek deadpanned.

“Aww, you still love me, Sour Wolf,” Stiles said, smirking at Derek.

“Of course that’s your takeaway from this,” Derek muttered with an amused snort, shaking his head. “Sorry, Theo. You were gonna tell us what’s going on with you and Liam?” he encouraged softly.

Theo sighed, cringing slightly as he unintentionally ran his hand over a bruise by his eye.

“Right. Well, it’s kind of a long story…” he began.

**

HOW CAN I HELP IT IF I THINK YOU’RE FUNNY WHEN YOU’RE MAD?

“Hey, babe, I’m home!” Theo called out as he stepped through their backdoor.

As Liam came into the room his eyes immediately narrowed as he gave Theo a suspicious look. “What the hell is that?” he demanded, slowly taking in the box punctured with holes that Theo held.

Theo chuckled. “What? No ‘Welcome home, Dumbass’?” he teased.

Liam rolled his eyes, sighing softly as he gave Theo a small grin in response.

“Sorry. Welcome home, Dumbass. Spier and I missed you. Now what the hell’s in the box?” he asked.

Theo set the box on the floor, pulling the lid off and carefully gathering a small gray and white fluff ball of kitten into his arms.

“Liam, this is Burke. He’s your birthday present,” he explained, holding Burke out toward Liam hopefully.

His husband raised an eyebrow in his direction. “What the hell, Theo? My birthday’s not until tomorrow. And really? We already have Spier. What exactly was going through your head when you decided what was best for this family without talking to me first? We’re married, dumbass! We’re supposed to be making these kinds of decisions together. And we don’t need another cat. Take him back,” Liam insisted.

“But-but he’s adorable, Dunbar! Just look at him! And I’m sorry to spring this on you as an early birthday present, but I couldn’t just leave him, okay?” Theo protested.

“Oh the hell you couldn’t! Just drive past the damn pet store, Theo! We do it all the freaking time. It’s really not that complicated. I don’t want another cat, you jerk,” Liam growled.

“You wanted flowers and chocolate, huh? I fucked up, baby. I’m sorry,” Theo mumbled, unable to stop himself from smirking and silently laughing at Liam.

“Screw you! I’m serious, Theo. We don’t need another cat in the house. Get. Rid. Of. Him!” Liam exclaimed forcefully, glaring at Theo.

“OH. You’re serious,” Theo said, his expression sobering.

“Didn’t I JUST say that?!” Liam demanded in disbelief.

“Okay. Hold on, babe. Before you completely lose it, hear me out,” Theo pleaded.

Liam continued to glare at Theo. “Explain yourself,” he finally muttered. 

“Look, I know this is going to sound nuts so just listen to my heartbeat if you think I’m lying, all right? I didn’t get Burke from the pet store. I found him on the side of the road after watching some asshole throw him out the window of a moving vehicle. Honestly, I thought I was hallucinating for a minute, ya know? So, anyway, I pulled over, got out of the truck and checked on him. He seemed okay mostly, a little disoriented maybe, but I took him to the vet just in case. And everything really does check out now. He’s all vaccinated and um, ready for a family. But uh, if that’s not our family I guess-I guess that’s cool. Whatever you want, Dunbar,” Theo said, giving Liam a weak smile before placing Burke back into the box.

“Theo, wait!” Liam yelped, stopping Theo before he could put the lid on top of the box. Theo watched as his husband reached into the box and pulled the kitten out, cradling Burke in his arms. “This is my birthday cat. There’s no way in hell I’m letting him go live with some random people after the ordeal he’s just suffered. He’s mine. Aren’t you, Burke? Yes you are, sweet boy,” he continued, cooing softly at the kitten.

Theo shook his head, an amused, content smile gracing his features as he watched Liam and Burke become acquainted. “Happy Birthday, baby,” he murmured, his lips brushing Liam’s temple as the two of them made their way into their living room intent on introducing Burke to Spier.

“My birthday’s not until tomorrow,” Liam reminded Theo.

Theo rolled his eyes, shaking his head again, laughing hoarsely. “I’m aware,” he replied.

**

Stiles’ brow furrowed. “So Burke is your cat? I don’t get it, man. This doesn’t explain anything. What happened to your face?” he demanded, unsuccessfully hiding an amused snort catching sight of Theo glaring at him.

“I told you this is a long story, remember? I’m getting there, Stiles,” Theo muttered, slouching further into the couch as he spoke.

“I’m hungry. You guys hungry? Derek, get on that. We need food,” Stiles said.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized this was a restaurant and I was your waiter,” Derek replied dryly.

“Don’t be rude,” Scott chastised, frowning at Stiles.

“You suck as a host. You’re lucky this isn’t a real restaurant. If it were I’d be having words with your manager,” Stiles retorted.

“You do realize I can’t be both a host and a waiter, right?” Derek asked, raising an eyebrow pointedly in Stiles’ direction.

“Semantics,” Stiles said, waving away Derek’s ‘concerns’ with a hand.

Scott loudly cleared his throat, glaring at both Stiles and Derek while nodding meaningfully at Theo.

“Sorry, man,” Stiles mumbled, knocking his leg against Theo’s. “But seriously here I’m just looking out for you. Or uh, your well-being or whatever by insisting you eat something. Emotional turmoil can seriously mess with a guy. Not to mention everything you’ve been through physically.”

“Yeah, because you asking for food right now is purely selfless and all for Theo’s benefit,” Scott said, his features melting into a look of amused affection.

Theo swallowed hard, doing everything he could not to watch ‘the moment’ that Scott and Stiles were apparently determined to have with one another, never mind the audience they had in him or Derek. It was taking everything Theo had within him not to reach for his phone or think of Liam being subjected to such blatant eye-fucking.

“Forget it, Scott. I’m just gonna go order takeout,” Derek declared, getting to his feet as he palmed his phone. “Theo, keep talking,” he murmured, pointing at his ear meaningfully, winking at Theo as he stepped out of the room to give them privacy.

Theo cleared his throat, flashing a strained smile at Scott and Stiles. “So, uh, where were we?” he asked.

“You’re a dumbass,” Stiles supplied unhelpfully.

“Liam’s birthday,” Scott prompted Theo.

“Oh, right,” Theo mumbled, giving Scott a grateful smile.

**

I’M THE KIND OF GUY WHO LAUGHS AT A FUNERAL

“Theo?” Liam called out, stepping from their bedroom the next morning.

“In here, Dunbar,” Theo responded from the living room, looking up from the book he was reading when his husband eventually stepped into the room.

“Seriously? All three of you are together right now? Spier, where’s the love, baby girl?” Liam protested, silently taking in the scene of Theo on their couch with Spier and Burke on either side of him.

Theo’s eyes danced in amusement. “Yeah, Spier’s definitely partial to me, aren’t ya, sweetness?” he murmured, chuckling as Spier butted her head against his arm as if in agreement with this assessment. “Don’t worry, Liam, there’s still plenty of time for you to poison the boy against me,” he continued with a smirk at Liam.

Liam snorted in disbelief. “Not likely, Dumbass,” he replied, gesturing at Burke who’d become sprawled out on Theo’s lap as they talked, his back leg jerking against Theo’s stomach as he slept on unawares.

Theo laughed. “Happy Birthday!”

“You’re kidding me. You pick THIS moment to wish me a happy birthday? You’re unbelievable,” Liam grumbled, stalking out of the room.

“Aww, come on, baby! Don’t leave mad! Just-just because the kids love me more than you doesn’t mean…it doesn’t mean anything!” Theo choked out in between his laughter.

“I’d believe you a little easier if you weren’t in there laughing your ass off at me right now,” Liam snarled from the kitchen.

Theo just laughed harder in response.

“Fine! Be a friggin’ asshole on your husband’s birthday! I’ll be at Mason’s if you decide to apologize,” Liam exclaimed angrily.

Theo continued to laugh to himself, his ear-to-ear grin seeming to melt away almost immediately as he heard Liam slam the backdoor behind him.

“Oh. Oh shit. He was serious?!” he asked aloud to the cats as he scrambled quickly to his feet and made his way toward the backdoor, opening it just in time to see Liam back out of the driveway in his car, sticking his hand out the open driver’s side window to flip Theo off as he drove off.

Theo swallowed convulsively for a minute or two before stumbling back inside the house.

“All right…all right…okay. This isn’t a big deal,” he muttered to himself as he ran a hand over the back of his head and quickly pocketed his truck keys. He walked back into the living room where both Burke and Spier still sat on the couch waiting for him to return. “Kids, don’t worry. I’m gonna fix this. I just gotta remind your Daddy that I’m not a dick, right? It should be easy. I got this,” he said confidently, giving the cats a forced smile. He gave them a curt nod. “All right. Don’t kill each other while we’re gone!” he called out semi-threateningly while Spier blinked owlishly at him in response and Burke’s head jerked for a moment before he finally collapsed onto the couch cushion in a small, exhausted heap quickly falling asleep again.

**

The four of them had gravitated towards the island in Derek’s kitchen once the pizza Derek ordered had arrived.

“Am I the only one who’s gonna say it?” Stiles demanded, looking around at the other three. When they remained silent Stiles sighed heavily, his head falling into his hands for a moment. “Fine. You are a dick. So what’s your point here?” he continued, looking at Theo incredulously.

Theo rolled his eyes letting loose a low growl of frustration. “I’m not sure if I have one, Stiles. But I do know I’m tired of being a lonely dumbass all by myself. It’s only ever worked when…”

“When Liam is the one calling you a dumbass?” Scott asked knowingly.

Theo nodded. “Yeah,” he replied hoarsely, doing his best to blink away the tears that’d begun pooling at the edges of his vision as he stared at his slice of barely nibbled on pizza.

Stiles nudged him. “Hey, you gonna eat that?” he asked, jerking his head in the direction of Theo’s plate.

Theo shook his head, shoving his plate toward Stiles. He cleared his throat, giving Scott and Derek a strained smile. “So, I was being a dick?” he offered in an attempt to keep going with his story.

**Author's Note:**

> I had to gift this work to LI0NH34RT. :o) Honey, you always manage to comment on my fics leaving such lovely, happy comments, which always make me smile and make my day brighter if not sometimes cry happy tears. ;o) You're very patient which I appreciate so much! And you have loved these boys and this 'Dumbass verse' from the very beginning. Thank you so much for all your positivity!! Here's hoping I don't leave you with this cliffhanger for too long!!! <3 :o)


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